So good to get back on the blog and see how your all doing.

Terry you look well and your speech is good. The kids loved seeing you and even shouted their childminder to see their grandad! Math was well impressed with the wheelchair. He also thought it was funny that you had peed on your slipper, your like two peas in a pod…its still like i’m training a puppy with him.

Matthew was talking to gran and wanted to know why she wouldn’t say hello to him, Kaitlin told him to stop being so silly (you can tell who’s son he is!)

Keep all the good work nett you really are a natural.

Thinking of you all, with much love.

Take good care of each other and keep up the good spirits,

Lee, Sinead & the two monkeys xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kerry bought me a felt hat from the German Christmas Market (along with other things, this was a joke item). It is round, in brown and yellow rings, with two brown and yellow antennae sticking out the top. It’s meant to resemble a busy old bee, I think. It’s nice when your children take the piss, isn’t it?

Anyway, this was because I’d been complaining about how all the woolly hats I had slipped about on my bonce when I was out chopping wood, etc. But I got her back, good and proper. I waited till we were in the posh part of John Lewis and I put the hat on. She was mortified! And the passers-by had a sly chuckle at this old idiot.

So now I wear the hat when I’m in the garden, feeding the birds, usually wrapped in an old fleecy blanket and with a pair of Primark’s best copy Ugg boots. I must look like some wild old Navajo squaw but the birds don’t seem to mind, especially the robin, who’s very curious about my antennae. I wonder if the Queen has one – a felt hat, I mean.

It’s good to see you getting around a bit, Terry. I hope you’re going to keep practising. I was thinking of entering you and Charlie in Strictly Come Dancing. Do you remember letting him stand on your feet while you both danced with Tommy Gaffney in the old Railway, all those years ago? I wonder if we really had as much fun as I think we did, or if it was just the alcohol. You and Charlie both seemed much better temnpered in those days – oh wait, perhaps I was too! I’m definitely Mrs Grumpy these days, writing letters of complaint like Mary Whitehouse. Me and Gerald Kaufman are almost on visiting terms. But I haven’t been able to persuade him to exterminate all the MPs yet. Will have to work on him a bit more.

Well, now, let’s be having all the news from NZ. More from Lynda, jeanette and family. We might be able to produce our own television series – much more profitable that a panto season.

Love you lots
Penny Charlie and Kerry xxxxx

Halleluiah, I feel like I should be introducing myself something along the lines of
“Hi my name’s Joanne it’s been 7 months 2 weeks and 6 days since I last bloged “.
Its great to see you, looks like you have a bit of work to do Dad if past success is anything to go by I will be hoping for twice round the deck and a song before you come home.

Jeanette, your home looks lovely, how about a full tour and some footage of you and the rest of the family.

Thanks for Rachel’s birthday card, money and makeup, she was really touched that you sent her a present all the way from New Zealand, she had a sleep over last night as they are on half term I don’t know about her but I’m knackered.

Dad you will be pleased to hear that Man City Ladies beat Man United Girls 2- 1 in extra time last week in the Tesco cup it was a good match the girls really enjoyed it.

Laura is well, she is studying like mad as she has her GCSE’s coming up although I can’t help thinking she is spending more time searching the internet for the perfect prom dress.

Looking forward to the next instalment. Lots of love and kisses to you all.

Joanne x x

Hope to see you soon. Charlie has been trying to ring but your phone is off. But he’s got a touch of gout, too, at the moment so he’s a bit grumpy to make conversation. Thank goodness the pills work quickly.

See now, if you had an email address, I could forward some photos to you including a very fetching one of Charlie wearing a wizardy type hat………

Penny xxx

Best wishes

Rick & Deb

Speaking of whom, please don’t feel neglected and unloved because we shall certainly expect to read your comments, too – and probably a video or photograph or two – so keep us in the loop.

Perhaps you should write a book about your experiences in China? You must have plenty of material to use!

Great to hear from you all.

Charlie would love to come and see you at the Lakes or in Wales in a week or so when you have had time to get over the jet leg. I am sure you will be inundated with visitors so let us know when you have time to grant us an audience!

Love
Charlie Penny & Kerry xxx